Feeling Like Damaged Goods

Damaged Goods

Have you ever felt like “damaged goods” – because of something you have done or something someone did to you? Did you ever think that there was some kind of barrier between you and God, even as a believer in Christ – a Christian – because of something in your past? Do you think that there are people who can be closer to God than you can ever be for some reason?

We definitely all have our own damage and our barriers – some more extreme than others. The truth is that we all need God’s mercy.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 NIV

“17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

If you want to belong to God through what Jesus Christ did for you to save you from your sins, there is NOTHING that can stop you… except you. If you want to have a close vibrant walk with God once you are a Christ follower… NOTHING can stop you… except you.

Let’s go to Verse 17:

“Therefore…”

Now, we know that when we come upon the word therefore or another word with the same function, that we are to look back at the text before it.

So, before this therefore, Paul is talking about how he and those with him are compelled to tell people about how Christ died for all people and how if we believe we too can be saved – no longer living for ourselves but for Him who saved us.

I really encourage you to take time to read 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2 slowly and carefully today.

Now the rest of Verse 17:

“…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old is gone, the new has come!”

This is such fantastic news!! Do you realize what this means??

A clean slate! A new beginning! A fresh start!!

Healing

Sure, some things are easier to leave behind than others. Mountains of hurt and brokenness, scar and open wounds can be healed by God. We will talk about this tomorrow but just know that right now, as a believer in Christ, you have a fresh start.

GONE!!

He died for your sins and (for all Christians) He forgave your sins. In His opinion, they are GONE!! Really GONE!! You are a new creation! Think about what that means.

Really Bad Driving

Let’s think about it this way: If you had a really bad driving record, as in, one more tiny mess up and you no longer have the privilege of driving a car. Then one day, you have that tiny mess up – and it is over. No more driving for you for a time period and a small fortune to get your license reinstated and you insured to drive. You go to court to throw yourself on the judge’s mercy. At the end of the day, they never have called up your case. You start inquiring as to why they didn’t call your case and they tell you that before the day began, someone went to see the judge and every violation you had was now gone. Just gone – with no record of any of them, at all. You now have a completely clean driving record.

That would be pretty amazing, right??

The Wages of Sin

Well, in this situation, I am afraid it is much more serious and instead of driving privileges and money being what is lost, it is your life. Because God says in His Word that the payment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). The question is: Has God brought you to faith in Jesus Christ for your forgiveness and salvation. Have you thrown yourself on His mercy?

No Barriers

If you have then you are completely free from the past that would hound you. Your past is gone in the eyes of God. You can seek God and walk closely with Him and the only barriers will be barriers you set in place – through pride and selfishness. That barrier discussion is for another day.

Let’s look at Verses 18 and 19:

“18All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”

God Had a Plan

This plan is to make you a new creation and make me a new creation… It is all from God Himself! When He created the earth and all its inhabitants, He knew that Adam and Eve would sin and He had a plan. His plan was to reconcile us back to Himself, through the work Christ would do on the cross as a man. He brought us back to Himself, back into right relationship with Him because until He did that we were enemies with Him and our past condemned us.

Individually

Now we come individually as He draws us to Himself and helps us see our desperate need to be made right with Him. He gives us the faith to believe that Christ did the work to save us and we are saved – made new individual creations in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reconciliation

He brought those who believe back into right standing with Him (reconciled us) and He has given us, His saved people, the responsibility of telling other people about this wonderful reconciliation.

He is so good! and so good to us!! Thanks be to our Great God!!

Into the Day

As we head into our day, my prayer is that we will not forget what Christ has done for us and that we are made new and if anyone reading this does not know Him I pray that today is the day you come to know Him. May we bring Him glory in all we do! Have an amazing day!

About Dell

Hi! Welcome to Tapestry! I am Dell Scruggs and I am a Christian. I have a deep passion for God and His Word. I also have a deep passion to grow and see others grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Quilting and watercolor are my favorite things to do in my spare time. I have an incredible husband, two amazing sons, two wonderful daughters-in-law and an absolutely adorable granddaughter!